Whom You Know: #NewYorkNotes COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME® AND MUSEUM TO LAUNCH 'WORDS AND MUSIC: JOURNEY OF A SONG' SERIES

Friday, December 8, 2023

#NewYorkNotes COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME® AND MUSEUM TO LAUNCH 'WORDS AND MUSIC: JOURNEY OF A SONG' SERIES

WITH SONGWRITING MENTORS TENILLE TOWNES, SHANNON SANDERS, CAITLYN SMITH AND CAMERON BEDELL

The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum will launch an online video series, Words & Music: Journey of a Song, on Wednesday, Dec. 13. The five-episode educational series follows four teenage songwriters through an immersive experience crafting and presenting their original songs with support from professional songwriters.

The series will chronicle each student's creative journey, from collaborating with a professional songwriter to recording and performing their original song. The weekly series will premiere on the museum's YouTube channel and its website on Wednesdays beginning on Dec. 13. The first four episodes will each focus on one of the student's experiences through workshopping the song, co-writing with a mentor songwriter, recording the song, and then adapting the song for the stage. In the final episode, the four students perform for a live audience in the museum's CMA Theater and share reflections on their experience.

The immersive experience was designed by museum educators as an extension of the museum's flagship education program, Words & Music, which promotes language-arts skills by pairing students with professional songwriters to create original songs in the classroom. The experience was filmed and edited by the museum's award-winning creative team.

"Through Words & Music: Journey of a Song, students were given the unique opportunity to expand their skills, collaborate with professionals and learn to stay true to their own creative voices," said Katie Palmer, the museum's senior director of education and community engagement. "We hope the series will encourage youth and families — and anyone who has not previously tried songwriting — to experience it."

Viewers will also be able to download a step-by-step guide to writing song lyrics available for free on the museum's website. The guide — which includes supplemental video content — encourages users to write their own lyrics and share on their social channels. For teens (ages 13-18) who participate with Words & Music: Journey of a Song, the museum will offer a lyric-writing contest. The winner will receive a trip to Nashville and a full scholarship to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's Beginner-to-Intermediate Summer Songwriting Camp next June. More information can be found on the museum's website.

The students and songs featured in the episodes include:

Episode 1: "Peter in the Garden" (premieres on Dec. 13)

A senior at Lipscomb Academy at the time of filming, Abby Whitman has participated in Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum songwriting programs since 2019. She also performed in musical theater productions in high school and plans to pursue a performance or music business degree in college. Columbia Nashville recording artist and songwriter Tenille Townes' songs include "Jersey on the Wall (I'm Just Asking)" (Tenille Townes), "Somebody's Daughter" (Tenille Townes) and "The Thing That Wrecks You" (Tenille Townes with Bryan Adams), among others. Whitman's song is "Peter in the Garden."

Episode 2: "Last Thing" (premieres on Dec. 20)

A sophomore at Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet High School at the time of filming, Jazmine Croom has been writing songs in museum programs since 2019. In 2021, Croom was selected to perform her original song, "Go with the Flow," at the museum's Nightfall at the Hall concert. Songwriter, producer, arranger and executive Shannon Sanders' songs include "Country Girl" (Rissi Palmer), "Lovesick" (Robert Randolph & the Family Band), "Video" and "Brown Skin" (Indie.Arie), among others. Croom's song is "Last Thing."

Episode 3: "Ticket" (premieres on Dec. 27)

Max Rees was a senior at Nashville School of the Arts (NSA) at the time of filming. During the school year, Max wrote and recorded several original songs as part of a songwriting and music education partnership between the museum and NSA. He grew up playing trumpet in his family band and usually writes songs with his twin brother. Max also plays guitar, bass, mandolin and whatever other instrument he can get his hands on. Monument Records recording artist and songwriter Caitlyn Smith's songs include "Like I'm Gonna Lose You" (Meghan Trainor and John Legend), "Wasting All These Tears" (Cassadee Pope), "You Can't Make Old Friends" (Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers), "I Can't" (Caitlyn Smith, featuring Old Dominion) and more. Rees' song is "Ticket."

Episode 4: "Kenopsia" (premieres on Jan. 3)

Avalon Simpson was a senior at Nashville School of the Arts (NSA) at the time of filming and also a part of the songwriting and music education partnership between the museum and NSA. Avalon performed an original song to open Lauren Daigle's Ryman appearance as part of the partnership, and she often performs with a local rock band. Songwriter and producer Cameron Bedell's songs include "Breakups" (Seaforth) and "Found It in You" (Tiera Kennedy), among others. Simpson's song is "Kenopsia."

The final episode, which includes all four students' performances of their songs, will premiere on Jan. 10.

Designed for grades 3-12, the museum's Words & Music program embraces and showcases country music's legacy of songwriting and passes it down to the next generation of writers and thinkers. Through Words & Music, students interact with a professional songwriter, paired with their class, in an engaging performance workshop that transforms students' lyrics into finished songs. More than 10,000 students participate annually in the Words & Music program. More information on school programs and Words & Music can be found on the museum's website.

Words & Music is made possible by the Country Music Association Endowment for Words & Music and is funded in part by American Airlines; Chet Atkins Music Education Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee; CMA; CMA Foundation; Dollar General Literacy Foundation; The Memorial Foundation; Metropolitan Nashville Arts Commission; Nashville Predators Foundation; National Endowment for the Arts; PNC Grow Up Great; and Tennessee Arts Commission.

About the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum:

The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum collects, preserves and interprets country music and its history for the education and entertainment of diverse audiences. In exhibitions, publications, digital media and educational programs, the museum explores the cultural importance and enduring beauty of the art form. The museum is operated by the Country Music Foundation, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization chartered by the state of Tennessee in 1964. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, and is among the most-visited history museums in the U.S. The Country Music Foundation operates Historic RCA Studio B®, Hatch Show Print® poster shop, CMF Records, the Frist Library and Archive and CMF Press. Museum programs are supported in part by Metropolitan Nashville Arts Commission and Tennessee Arts Commission.

More information about the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is available at www.countrymusichalloffame.org or by calling (615) 416-2001.

Recent Testimonials by Brand Ambassadors on their Experience with Whom You Know

"I work with Peachy Deegan because she's prolific at what she does. She's a hard worker, she's thoughtful and she's tasteful at what she writes which is very important. Peachy gets the facts correct, and just that alone is worth its weight in gold."

-Edward Tricomi, Master Stylist and Owner of Warren-Tricomi
https://warrentricomi.com/

"No one has yet to express their taste for our cuisine better than Peachy Deegan on Whom You Know. Thank you for transforming our flavor into words, unlike any other before.
Sometimes WHOM YOU KNOW, really makes a difference and Ammos Estiatorio is grateful to know Peachy Deegan!"
-
Dimitris Nakos, Founder and Owner of
Ammos Estiatorio
https://ammosnewyork.com/

“Whom You Know has done an amazing job of featuring our company over many years [seven]. Peachy has worked tirelessly to create a well-curated selection of topics and brands that are clearly of relevance to her growing audience of readers. Her articles are filled with great insights based on first-hand experience. She does her research, knows her business and is a pleasure to work with!”

-David Sasuga, Owner of Fresh Origins Microgreens
www.FreshOrigins.com

"Peachy Deegan has the pulse of the nation and highlights exceptional opinion leaders in more than 23,000 inspiring and entertaining posts. Her 100,000 twitter followers are a true testimony to Peachy’s ability to inspire, motivate and entertain. She is a feminine force to be reckoned with and an exemplary example of an influential voice in today’s world."

-Mica Mosbacher, author of the new book The Hurricane Factor: Stormside Patriots and tv political commentator

"It was an honour to be chosen for Movers and Shakers by Peachy Deegan. The questions in the interview were intelligent and insightful and I thoroughly enjoyed answering them. The reaction to the interview has been overwhelmingly positive and has helped bring my art practice to a wider audience."
-Damien Flood, Internationally Acclaimed Artist
http://www.damienflood.ie/

"We were so fortunate to hit Peachy’s radar. Her review of our Warmies was spot-on and came at a great time in our company’s early history.
Peachy has such a strong relationship with her readers. She provides honest and real comments; she is truly a trusted source in a very large circle
of consumers."
-Scott Wehrs
President
Intelex U.S.A.
http://www.intelexusallc.com/

"We at Primola love working with Whom You Know and are proud to have been a highly-ranked Manhattan restaurant by Peachy Deegan since 2012, and are featured seasonally. We appreciate the fantastic work Peachy does highlighting our cuisine with her sublime writing style and the whole neighborhood of the Upper East side. Also, we are glad that she has started a Made in Italy column! If you have the opportunity to be considered for review, we'd highly recommend working with her."
-Giuliano Zuliani, Owner of Primola Restaurant
https://www.facebook.com/Primola-Canaletto-restaurants-NYC-135616799831091

"
Peachy Deegan is a gem. She is wonderful to feature our Irish brands in 'Whom You Know'! The articles are beautifully and passionately presented, bringing products and brands to life, making both relevant and fun for her many faithful followers to read. I am immensely proud for our hand-crafted products to be included in this venue!"

-
Bill Follett
President, Belleek Group North America
www.Belleek.com

"As you know from my past features, Peachy Deegan and I were in the same class at Boston College prior to either of us becoming entrepreneurs. When we played together on the BC Alumni softball team in Central Park years ago, she mentioned she could not find a great dentist in Manhattan and could often be found networking on her phone in the outfield hiding from the ball. She was my second patient ever in 2006 when I opened my dental practice; I was one of the first sponsors on Whom You Know and the first Mover and Shaker featured in 2009 and have worked with her continuously since. She's even talked her friends that are doctors into being my patients, and they subsequently send their hospital colleagues. I don't know anyone that is as great of a networker and writer as Peachy, nevermind that she is upstanding and always good for her word. Cosmopolitan Dental is so happy to be in the company of the caliber of major brands she works with today, and although she will tell you a million ways to get your teeth dirty between Peachy's Picks, Terrific Takeout and Peachy's Pantry, Peachy Deegan will tell you there is only one way to get your teeth clean!"
-Dr. Garo Nazarian, Founder and Owner of Cosmopolitan Dental
http://cosmopolitandental.com/